Re: Principal Authority – new article on Wyoming law defining Digital Identity

Can't we use laws around power of attorney to manage delegation of 
rights and privileges held by your identity?

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/power_of_attorney


On 9/16/21 1:13 PM, Alan Karp wrote:
> Delegating an identity sounds like a problem.  Does my CPA get access 
> to my medical records?  Does my doctor end up with access to my 
> financial information?
>
> --------------
> Alan Karp
>
>
> On Thu, Sep 16, 2021 at 12:42 PM Christopher Allen 
> <ChristopherA@lifewithalacrity.com 
> <mailto:ChristopherA@lifewithalacrity.com>> wrote:
>
>     W3C Credentials Community:
>
>     I've been involved in the Wyoming legislature's /Select Committee
>     on Blockchain, Financial Technology & Digital Innovation
>     Technology/ to help form a new legal basis for future digital
>     identity legislation in Wyoming.
>
>     There has been strong support in the legislature for concept of
>     self-sovereign identity, but the challenge has been what existing
>     legal framework & precedents can we build new laws from. In
>     particular, we wanted to avoid introducing any new laws under
>     property rights frameworks.
>
>     What we've found as a good framework is the concept of "Principal
>     Authority" which comes from the Laws of Agency, which allows us to
>     leverage fiduciary style Laws of Custom to define requirements for
>     practices when digital identity is delegated to others (whether
>     for authorization or for use of data).
>
>     I've written up a layman's article (as I am not a lawyer)
>     introducing this topic at:
>
>         https://www.blockchaincommons.com/articles/Principal-Authority/
>         <https://www.blockchaincommons.com/articles/Principal-Authority/>
>
>
>     In summary:
>
>     Wyoming passed earlier this year the first legal definition for
>     digital identity https://wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2021/SF0039
>     <https://wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2021/SF0039> — a key quote:
>
>         "the intangible digital representation of, by and for a
>         natural person, over which he has principal authority and
>         through which he intentionally communicates or acts."
>
>
>     So where's the self-sovereign identity in this concept of
>     Principal Authority? In short: Principal Authority _recognizes a
>     Principal_, which _acknowledges the existence_ of an entity at the
>     heart of a digital identity.
>
>     There's a lot more using this legal framework this implies.
>     Since Principal Authority comes from the Laws of Agency, this
>     allows us to show that this entity has Authority over that digital
>     identity. In my option, that is self-sovereign identity in a
>     nutshell!
>
>     Also, because Principal Authority is drawn from the Laws of
>     Agency, it says that that Authority is delegatable. Other people
>     can make use of your digital identity.
>
>     Delegation of identity happens already when you construct an
>     account on a social media service. The difference? When it's your
>     recognized Principal Authority that is being used, your delegates
>     must work to your benefit. Like a CPA or doctor, their choices
>     must be in your interest.
>
>     That's also what self-sovereign identity is all about: a digital
>     identity that benefits you. That's not what we have today, where
>     social media and other internet sites are using your identity to
>     benefit themselves.
>
>     There's more detail to this, many unanswered questions, and some
>     subtlety on what control really means and how duties of care can
>     be established. Take a look at the article, and let me know what
>     you think!
>
>     We will be having a public meeting on the topic of Digital
>     Identity & Principal Authority with the Wyoming Select Committee
>     next Wednesday (September 22nd) at 2pm MT. Details about the
>     meeting and a link to live stream will be published next week at
>     https://www.wyoleg.gov/Committees/2021/S19
>     <https://www.wyoleg.gov/Committees/2021/S19> . You can also
>     request to offer your own public testimony during this session by
>     emailing lso@wyoleg.gov <mailto:lso@wyoleg.gov>.
>
>     Bottom line: The concept of delegatable Principal Authority that
>     works to your benefit may offer a new legal framework for digital
>     identity. If you are interested in this topic, let me know.
>
>     In addition, the co-chair of Select Committee and leader of the
>     Digital Identity subcommittee Chris Rothfuss
>     <Chris.Rothfuss@wyoleg.gov <mailto:Chris.Rothfuss@wyoleg.gov>> is
>     likely open to greater participation from those with legal
>     drafting experience to work on applying this concept into customs,
>     best practices, and duties of care for consideration by the
>     Wyoming Legislature in the coming year. Let him know if you can
>     help. (Like the CCG, we need more drafters than talkers!).
>
>     -- Christopher Allen
>
>     P.S. Establishing self-sovereign identity is part of the work that
>     we're doing at Blockchain Commons. If this is important to you,
>     please become a monthly patron! Even $20 a month as an individual
>     (or $100 for a corporation) makes a difference!
>
-- 
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